This edition was prepared by Adrian Wall — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Christe qui lux es et dies a 5
Staff Notation • Sacred, Motets
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4 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
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Christe qui lux es et dies a 5 by William Byrd — Lyrics
1. Christe qui lux es et dies,
Noctis tenebras detegis,
Lucisque lumen crederis,
Lumen beatum praedicans.
2. Precamur Sancte Domine,
Defende nos in hac nocte,
Sit nobis in te requies,
Quietam noctem tribue.
3. Ne gravis somnus irruat,
Nec hostis nos surripiat,
Nec caro illi consentiens,
Nos tibi reos statuat.
4. Oculi somnum capiant,
Cor ad te semper vigilet,
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About Christe qui lux es et dies a 5
This sacred motet for five voices (SATTB) is a prayer for divine protection through the night. The Latin text implores Christ, the light of day, to dispel the darkness and grant rest. It asks for defence against sleep's stupor and the enemy's stealth, seeking instead a vigilant heart and a watchful spirit. The composer, William Byrd, crafts a plea for God's protection and guidance, beseeching Him to govern His servants bought with His blood and to remember them in their earthly struggles. The motet concludes with a doxology to the Trinity, a fitting culmination to this earnest invocation.
